


Life Goes On Without You

by ReleasingmyInsanity



Series: What Happened After [2]
Category: Night Court
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Male Character, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Referenced Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 07:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11778699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingmyInsanity/pseuds/ReleasingmyInsanity
Summary: A year after Christine leaves, Dan confronts his recently discovered feelings for Harry.Part two of a three part series. Gifted to the person whose comment on "In Love With The Bride And Groom" inspired this series. I hope this is enough Harry/Dan for you.





	Life Goes On Without You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DanFieldingistheMan](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=DanFieldingistheMan).



Dan Fielding stepped outside Harry's apartment building, feeling cold despite the warm night. He had just almost ruined everything. In the year after Christine had walked out of their lives, Dan and Harry had filled the void she had left in her lives with each other.

They had not heard from her since that night in her apartment. Oh sure, there had been a Christmas card addressed to the whole court, with a picture of Charlie at the national tree lighting. And sometimes they'd hear from Roz or Mac or Bull that she was doing well and said hello. But nothing directed solely at them.

Sometimes they'd catch a glimpse of her on the news; she looked as at home on the floor of the House of Representatives as she did in their courtroom. They had always known that Christine was destined for greatness and it looked like she had found it.

Dan didn't know if absence made the heart grow fonder, but he did know that seeing her on TV just made the longing worse. That was when he and Harry turned to each other.

This business with Harry had started out as just a way to release the tension. The first time, only a few days after she left, it had been clear that neither Dan nor Harry really saw each other. Both wishing that the other was Christine. When they came with her name on their lips, it was only to be expected, she was who they really wanted.

They had never intended this _thing_ to continue, but a few nights later, they had fallen into bed a second time, and then a third, and it had gone on from there. At first, everything had been fine, just two men comforting each other over a forced separation from the woman they both loved. But as time went on, Dan found himself sleeping around less and less, heading back towards "good Dan" levels of avoiding random hookups.

He had told himself that he was just busy. But after tonight, he knew differently. Tonight, he had almost said Harry's name instead of Christine's. And that scared him.

 _What would Phil say?_ Dan wondered. Ever since Phil's death two years earlier, Dan had realized just how much he had relied on Phil's wisdom. He had tried to train Will, but he wasn't Phil and Dan knew it. He had finally let Will go, realizing that trying to change him into Phil couldn't bring Phil back.

Phil, Phil who had been so devoted to Dan's happiness, who loved him in a way Dan hadn't fully realized until it was too late, would tell him to go for it. To tell Harry how he felt, that he... that he loved him.

No, he couldn't tell him that. Not unless he knew that Harry felt the same way. He had lost Christine, whom he still loved, by being too pushy, he couldn't risk it with Harry.

Every night he spent with Harry it was hands and lips in the darkness, feelings were not allowed and that was the way it was going to have to remain.

~*****~

And remain that way it did, until one night in Harry's chambers after court.

They were training a new public defender, one of a long line of trainees who had been assigned to the court after Christine left and then been whisked away to other positions and new courtrooms. The trainees had all been hard workers, but none of them had lasted long enough to develop the same level of rapport with Dan and Harry that Christine had.

It had been a long night with a full docket and uncooperative defendants and everyone was exhausted. Mac had left the second court was over, saying that he wanted to spend some time with Quon Le and Renee before meeting with the agent who was trying to help him sell his latest writing. Bull had followed, mumbling something about aliens and Wanda.

Roz might still be around somewhere, but as far as Dan knew, he and Harry were alone. He wondered if they would be going home together that night. In the old days, he would have been chasing the pretty young trainee, but since realizing how he felt about Harry, Dan hadn't wanted anyone else, Christine excepted.

Wrapped up in his own thoughts, Dan didn't register that Harry was speaking to him until suddenly they were face to face.

"Come here." Harry put his hands on Dan's shoulders and kissed him softly.

Dan kissed back automatically and for one magical moment, it all felt right. But then, reality struck.

"Wait!" Dan pushed Harry away, rougher than he had intended. "What are you doing?"

Harry stumbled. "Dan, I'm sorry. It's late and I just...I don't know, I thought maybe it wasn't just me. That maybe you were feeling the same things I was."

Dan froze in place. "You... me...us?"

Harry sighed, "Dan. The longer we do, whatever this is we've been doing, the more I realize that I want to keep doing it. But I don't want to hide it anymore. I want us to be together because we want to be. Not because we're trying to get over Christine."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Dan asked, unable to believe his ears.

Harry nodded. "I have feelings for you. I know you don't feel the same way, but..."

Dan interrupted, grabbing Harry by the shoulders. "I do! I do feel the same way."

"You do?"

Dan nodded, not trusting his voice.

Harry wrapped his arms around Dan and hugged him tightly. Dan hugged back, face buried in Harry's shoulder. They stood that way for a long moment, not speaking, just being together.

"What are we going to do when Christine comes back?" Dan whispered, hating to break the mood, but knowing the question needed to be answered.

Harry shook his head, "I still love her. But I don't want to lose you either. We'll deal with that when we have to, but for now, let's just enjoy each other."

Dan kissed him. Harry was right; they still had a year before Christine would be back. There was time.

"I love you," he whispered against his boyfriend's lips.

"I love you too Dan," came Harry's reply. And Dan recognized it for what it was, a promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Harry and Dan sleeping together: I don't really remember where that idea about them just sort of rebounding into each other came from, but it's been in my head for ages.
> 
> Phil/Will: I have always had the headcanon that Phil was unrequitedly in love with Dan, and that Dan doesn't realize this until it's too late. That's why he tries so hard to turn Will into Phil. Will is probably still around, doing good and trying to atone for his actions, but Dan is letting Will be himself now instead of forcing him into being Phil.
> 
> The references to Mac and Bull are just there to show that the only one who's left long-term is Christine. Mac never quit, and Bull was only on Jupiter briefly, you know he wouldn't leave Wanda for long.
> 
> Dan says "I love you" readily? Well, it's been a long time since "Dan's Operation" and he's changed a lot, but mostly, he can say it because it's Harry. If it was someone else he would probably have more trouble.
> 
> Tune in next time to see what happens when Christine returns. Unless you like the ending as it stands currently.


End file.
